Draft gear



.im 24,1930. l H, TUCKER l v1,766,233 l DRAFT GEAR Original Filed July V9, 1927 Patented-June 24,Y '1930,

This 'applicati-on'isa'diyision of in'y application,- Seriall No2' -204`56l8yiledV July 9,1927.

5f The invention relates 'toithat typeof draft gear in'whch intercalated frictionplates and within a fchambered follower, an' opposed 'follower' beingPr y'of plate or equivalent forrn 'and itsjobject's aretogproyi'de in' Vafge'arof this type highy efficiency, "certaintyy and smoothness l of release'andf for the takingupfantomatcal- "A: preferredfernbodiment of 'the' yirlve'ntfion *.Fig.4 3 "isa'detail section *ioni line of -ArAnysuitable` forrnof f :oiiplerA extension mayi befern'ployed, there heiligE shown ya corn- In'n formof yokeff 1At'54,'there isfsho'wll v 46, its closed'endbeing'seated the rear end of A'thefyole fandits" forward end 'facing a A'plz`tt`e`fffollowe'r f 47'- s'eatedf* against the fori# ward end' of` the yoke, -the-casing "and follower being normallyfspa'ced apart to Epermit the inaximnmjfc'onpre'ssi'on' of fthe gearf'fand to Whl heir-'ie .featsmoreyrtcalr aeen- Chered against lengtudinal movement? relaL tively te thezcasng hyameansof-lateral .lugs

maremma friction Plates-ireany?ofiempazfevely;empates'@which Hat to provide rapair off" shoulders 93,93 per pendicular tothe kaxis of the gear.

@Between each ofltheflat faces of-the'istem Y 92 and thefadj acent group'of friction plates, there is interposed a -sety of wedge elements, each set'cornprisng a'friction shoe 97y seated against the `inner friction lplateandghaving onf-its inner face and adjacent 'its ends wedgingzfaces,`that at the outer end ofthe shoe being inclinedl inwardly, for' toward thel axis ofv the gear and rearwardly' or'toward the closed end of the casing, while that'at the inner'end I y' *1,766,233v fy nonna; O een'riasl` BEND,` NDIANL Assrenon To; `-UN1VERSAL vjmmr enen-ATTACHMENT ,co1.,e. conromrmron or Summers.

H192?, rsenatN131 204,613. Divided arian'i's'apiicationniea ;ruiy' but vldo notzrn'ake contactwiththe yfollower of the. shoe is inclined inthe opposite direc; g tion.A` Each set of wedgi-ngelements further 'comprises a plate 98 seated against thestenl 92 and having adj acentV each; 'end Lwedging faces vwhichfare inclined oppositely from `the adjacent wedging facesfof the shoe-97.. Each 'so l setof wedging elements also comprises a pair of triangularlwedge blocks 94, 9.9 which en? ter between adjacent -fwedgingfaces of' the element's9', 98. The block 94 `is seated upon one of1 theshonlders 93 and the lblock 99 seats againstthespring seat 101 'I A llheface' 95 ,ofthe block 94 whichfcooper-V j atesgwithifthshoe 9?(is I noreacute,` to the axis of the gear, than its face 96 which co;

the .lements 97 andes withwhich this block eci operates with plate 98,.the wedgingrface of s cooperates fbeing',`,fiof coarse, ofwsir'nilar in? ClIlOD ffThe' corresponding facesv ofthe f block 99l the wedging faces ofjthe elementsfQ'?, 98 are correspondingly inclined.

'n axially positioned "helical spring'lySfZ reactsbetween the` v'closed endofthe casing 46 and a spring seat 79 having acentral stem which bears upon the' inner iend-k of the stem 92. .Ai setofl helical springs as 89,` 91' react "between the closed end of the casing 46 and Y ture and is. apertured to receive the stem '972 andthe stem .of-the 'spring `seat 79, and

the spring seat 101, Vwhich is aunitary strucin addition toits engagement 'normally with the wedge blocks 99, 99,1also engages the inner ends of the vfloating, friction plates 49. 1 At leastYV one 'of thefrictioni plates of eachVv group, as ,the'plates.-55, l55 is tapered toward' fits outer end.

` 1 There is shown lin thedrawing acrossbar V582, userviceablein connection with the asy seinbling of thefgear elements, butfhaving no function in connection with theoperation ofthe gear. ,y This-bar may be: entered `through suitable slots in the sidewalls of Y 'in the bain ff the casing. and n pass'esthrough fthe stemv 92 which is bifurcated forits reception. The barv is .held in-placeby aftongue 85 pro]ect=V In operation, thefoll'ower 47r movesY inwardly carrying with it the thrustmember 50 andthe Vwedge blocks94, this movement being resisted by the Vspring 87,. thereby spreading4 apart the elements 96, y97- 'and blocks 99 and thusqsimi'larly spreading the On' initial compressive'movemeit Of the gear, the spring lseat 101 movesaway Afrom the inner .endsbf --theplates 49, l `When the v platev 47 corn'e's inl Contacty with the]Y latter 'o against the ffrictionali resistance upon, the

' shorter friction plates. As the wedgingelel v I0 plates, they aref moved inwardly with it ments move Ainward-ly, the .compressive vaction upony the'friotion platesgis gra-dually augv:mented by'reaison ofthe tap-eringformof theplatesg. i

Upon release, the'elem'ents 47 and O'are urged KVb'aclwardly bythe central spring 87 n' 'and the wedging elements move backwardly with vthen-1,under the influence of the. springs v89,Y j91, andvthijs' action is facilitatedrby the,

taper-ing formV of the plates 5 5.

.A's' the release proeeed'is, the spring seat Y 1'01ferigfgages' th'e plates i9 and moves them Y `backtonormal position. i

f VIn draft,theaction of the gear4 is thes'ane, i.. 5,5 .but in reve/rse'directionof movement of the Agg-the4 partsjbeeemewm "by abras-ien er the ffctionaiy cooperating-faces,the slack were reversed in position or iff the spread- Y chamber, va friction shoe engaging the` inner ingl fromthe-spring jseat 79l into a recess 86A #We groups.; 0f ntereala'ted V'gr'cup's'of interealatedfriction plates'locabed c respectively cnopposite'sides'of thegear'anis, Y

Y within thechambered follower, one set of each i n n lgroup being anchored thereto against longi' -V 'tudi'nal -moveinent `and Vthe other set :being Y floating. and normallyprjecting from the 75 plate of each group and having oppositely inclined Vwedgingfacesadjacentv its ends, a pus-her element seated.' on the plate-follower 'and having lateral forwardly facing shoulf go ders and-a 'central stem having longitudinally eXtendings'id'ejw-alls, .a 'plate seated against each wall and having oppositel'r inclined seated on c each pusher shoulder; c and cooper- 'ating withwedgingfaces of one of the shoes andone of the last named plates, wedge blocks c,ooperatingl `with the wedging faces` at theoppo'site endsfof such elements, 4springV seats bearing Aon theia-st named wedge blocks ii, and engageable `witli the l floating. plates, springsreacting between such ,seats andthe end wall of the chambered follower, and spring means reacting between l:the.pusher stem and such wall. In adraftgear bered follower, an opposing plate follower,

n riction plates within the chambered follower, Voneiset 'ofl nach smile. beine ,anchored thereto? against @an longitudinal movement and thev other set-be*- ing swingend, normal-1y projecting from the 'chambena friction shoe engaging the inner plate of each group and havin-g oppositely inclined lwedging faces Vadiaeefnt itsvl ends, a -i0`5 pusherelementseated Ion the platejfoilowerv Vand having lateral'lforwardly ,facing shouldersand a Vcentralfstem having parallel ,side walls, a Yplate seated against eachwall and having 'oppositely AiI-iclined wedging faces .at its end-s,v suchfaces being less acute to the longitudinal aXisof theY gear than the wedg; ing faces of the shoes, a wedgebl'ockseated .on each pusher. shoulder and cooperating 'withl wedgingfaces ofone 'of' the shoes and one o'ffthe plates, wedge `lollx'akscooperating' with thewedgng fases ritme-opposite ends of such elements, spring seats be'aringfonthe' last named 'wedge blocks, 'and engageable withrthe floating platesgsprings reacting be-` tween 'such seatsandtheendwallf 'the cham-- s Y bered follower, 'and `spring means iefmtn'g'vr l ijtaknhp bythe rlatveappoach Mythe. between the pusher stemvand such wall.

'Wedge .blocks 94, 99 fwithounfappreciably vdinii`1-1is hirf1g;thepowerof the springs.

1Various'changesofc(iletailsnray be 'made withinthe scope ofthe'invention. ,and the'` action ofthe gear-would be the same if it( Ina draft gear in eUni-binnen, a haij- Y beren fo11ower, an opposed follower, 'two wedge means .acting compressivel'y Y on (each group ofplates, a pusher element interposed` between *the second named follower-andthe 11310;'KV

inlcombinationaehamy Y lasV wedge means and having a central stem with parallel sides projecting between `the two sets of wedge means, one of the elementsy of each set. of wedge means being a wearv-compensat- I ingelement and being in sliding engagement with aside ofithe'stem and spring means opposing the inward movement of thefriction and we'dging. means, -the wear compensating l elements and the thrust element. f

4. In a draft gear, incombination, a chaml bered follower, an opposed follower, two

groups of intercalated friction plates located respectively on opposite sidesof the gear axis, wedging means acting rcompressively on each i group ofl plates, a pusher element interposed between the second named follower andthe Y wedge means and having a central. stem with parallel sides projecting between the two sets of wedge means, one of the elementsvvof each set being a wear-compensating element slidably engaging one of the parallel sides of the stem, its wedging faces being relatively less acute to the axis of the gear than are thefaces of other elements of the set, and spring means opposing the inward movement ofthe friction and wedging means and. of the thrust element. ,Y

5; In a draft gear in, combination, a chambered follower, an opposed follower, twoy i groups of intercalated friction plates located respectively on opposite sides of the gearv axis, wedge means acting compressively on each group of plates, a pusherelement interposed between the second named follower and the wedge means and having a central steml with parallel sides projecting between the two sets of wedgermeans, one of fthe elements of each set being a weary compensating element slidablyengaging oneyof thenparallel sides of the stem, its wedgingface .being less acute to the yaxis of the gear than arethe faces of other of thewedge elements,spring meansv opposing the inward movement of thefriction and wedging means, -and""independent spring means' opposing theinward movement of the thrust element. l l j l In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

HERIER'Iy E. TUCKER.y 

